Bicycles Network Australia » EBikehttp://www.bicycles.net.au
The Top Australian Cycling PortalTue, 28 Jul 2015 23:21:05 +0000en-UShourly1Shimano Releases STEPS, A Complete Ebike System (again)http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/11/shimano-releases-steps-2014-complete-ebike-system/
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/11/shimano-releases-steps-2014-complete-ebike-system/#commentsTue, 26 Nov 2013 11:33:54 +0000http://www.bicycles.net.au/?p=9608In 2010 Shimano released STEPS, the Shimano Total Electric Power System, for the first time, as the e-bike market started to blossom in Europe, but little happened; it was not widely adopted. The main idea of STEPS was for a more holistic approach to the e-bike and in 2014 Shimano is releasing STEPS again, with no reference to its predecessor – it is completely new.

The obvious difference between this incarnation and the previous one is the move away from the hub motor to a drive unit on the bottom bracket. It is compact and seems smaller than the Bosch system and, weighing 3.1 kg, it is lighter than the Bosch, which is sub 4kg. Considering that Shimano are pretty much the default in bike group sets, a feature included in STEPS is the seamless integration with Di2 internal geared hub, making both power and shifting electronic.

Other features include E-Tube (that’s right, E-Tube) which allows STEPS to be connected to a PC to modify the controllers, firmware updates and diagnosis.

Shimano certainly need to ensure that they get the bike brands on board and, with the worldwide popularity of e-bikes, are likely to make a big push to ensure that big name brands are building with their system. The Australian market is comparatively young so it will probably take longer before we see these on our shores.

]]>http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/11/shimano-releases-steps-2014-complete-ebike-system/feed/2Expert Round Table – Buying an E-Bike Part 3http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/05/expert-table-buying-e-bike-part-3/
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/05/expert-table-buying-e-bike-part-3/#commentsWed, 29 May 2013 06:15:34 +0000http://www.bicycles.net.au/?p=8164In France in 2012, the e-bike segment of the bike market was the only segment to see any growth, and that growth was around 15% over the previous year. Germany showed surprisingly similar numbers for e-bike growth. Market research predicts that e-bike sales world-wide will come close to 500 million between 2010 and 2016. What all of this adds up to is a major boom in e-bike production and sales in Europe and Asia, but what about Australia? We’re far away from cycling inclusive cultures on our little island and we don’t have the population in the whole country that some major overseas cities have. What is the e-bike culture really like in Australia, and how can we improve it? As in Part 1 and Part 2 of this e-bike Round Table series, we asked our expert panel for their opinions.

BNA: At the moment, who are your e-bike customers? What types of e-bikes are selling, and who are you selling them to? Why are they buying them?

Martin@MREBikes: Locally our brands are being purchased by a broad age group. Globally the trend is baby boomers, skewed female.

Maurice@GlowWorm: We’re in an area with a lot of commuting cyclists, so many of our customers are buying e-bikes to ride to work. The reasons for wanting to be on a bicycle are well known – exercise, fresh air, fun, cheap, convenient and the electric assist has made it more practical for many people as you can go a little quicker, wear what you want and not be put off by hills. Another big segment for us are families carrying young kids around – many people become car-bound once they have kids and they really miss the freedom and fun of a bike. Again, you could do this on a non-powered bike, but the assist makes it easier to carry loads and children around.

Luke@EBikeCentral: We have all sorts of customers these days, but the most popular demographic would be both men and women between 45 and 70. We mainly sell European style commuting bikes and folding bikes. Step throughs are always more popular.

Paul@Gazelle: Our main selling e-bike is the Gazelle Orange Plus XT. It is a classic Dutch City bike with an extra high power motor for hills. ‘Non cyclist’ (i.e. car drivers/regular people) types of people are our typical customer. People who are not so much interested in bikes, but rather a more sensible way to move in their local neighbourhood. Why are they buying them? They are buying the bike as a car replacement, mostly for shorter trips.

E-Bikes aren’t targeted at cyclists, rather at people who have short distances to travel

George@ReefBikes: The market demographics include people that love getting out on a bike but can’t last the distance, people that need help getting up hills, and being able to feel free again, not worrying about getting worn out. Also, people that want to ride to work, commute hassle free, zipping through peak hour traffic, without breaking a sweat when arriving at work, and getting there faster than a regular bicycle. Eco friendly, no emissions alternative method of transport, no costly drivers license, rego, or petrol needed.

All types are selling, from 700C road commuting bicycles, mountain e-bikes for fun, and folding e-bikes for travelers.

BNA: Who should be buying e-bikes? What is the gap in the e-bike market and how do you think it can be plugged (pun unintended)?

Martin@MREBikes: e-Bikes offer different advantages to different people. As the products develop, so will the demographics. I think a big gap in the e-bike market is the reluctance for traditional bike shops to offer the product. They are missing out on a new untapped customer base.

Maurice@GlowWorm: Anyone who wants to leave the house from time to time should consider using an electric bicycle. It’s just another way to get around and almost everyone has some trips that could be done more happily for them and their community by electric bicycle that they’re currently doing another way.

I think the gap in the e-bike market at the moment is awareness among the public that e-bikes are for them. There seems to be a general assumption that e-bikes are for a particular type of person, but once people test ride them and talk to friends who are using them, that starts to change and that’s what I’m looking forward to.

E-Bikes are convenient, though many people are unaware of the potential

Luke@EBikeCentral: If you commute alone, and only commute between 10 to 25 km, I think an e-bike would be ideal. There are endless reasons why people should buy electric bikes.

I think more than ever there is a great variety of e-bikes in Australia. Maybe as technology gets better and more brands appear the prices will come down making the e-bike more of a household item.

PowerPed leisure bikes available in Australia through E-Bike Central

George@ReefBikes: It’s not about “should”, anyone should buy an e-bike because they want one. It gives you the option to ride as a regular bicycle too, so it’s like buying a regular bicycle, with the added option of switching on electric if you want to.

I think the major gap is the price; an average normal bicycle is about $500, so anyone can afford one. Average electric bicycle cost is about $2000. So I think those numbers speak for themselves. If electric bikes could be made to sell under $500, then you would see a million of them sold. But that’s not going to happen, because quality electric parts are worth more than that.

We have seen a huge boom in the market from about 2 years ago. Back then, a lot of people didn’t really know what an electric bike actually was, but now a new market has emerged, and most Australians know what an electric bike is. There has been huge interest for those people that just don’t have what it takes to ride a regular bicycle, but they still want to get out on a bike, have fun, exercise at their own pace, and go longer distances, faster with less effort.

Paul@Gazelle: Anyone who does car trips of less than 10km (i.e. everybody). Anybody who likes riding bikes but is put off by the hills. I think there is a good mix of product on the market now to satisfy most requirements.

BNA: How does Australia compare to the rest of the world in terms of e-bike usage and culture?

Maurice@GlowWorm: In most markets, e-bike usage reflects bicycle usage in terms of numbers. This is basically because if there is good, safe bicycle infrastructure, then there is good, safe e-bike infrastructure, which is crucial to bike usage becoming mainstream.

Therefore, you’d have to concede that at least at this point in time, e-bike usage in Australia is very low compared to many other places because bicycle usage in Australia is very low. Sport cycling in Australia is relatively strong but they’re not typically the target market for e-bikes.

If I may generalise, I would make a distinction between those places that have strong city cycling infrastructure and those that don’t. Those that do tend to sell e-bikes through bicycle shops and market them as a bicycle with advantages for those who want a bit of help. They’re unlikely to focus on the things we’ve been talking about in previous questions, such as saving money on petrol, not getting stuck in traffic, getting there quicker etc., because all these things are obvious and, if you already ride a bike and are switching to an e-bike, you’re not going to save any money on petrol or park any easier than before. I’d include Japan, the Netherlands and most of Germany in these countries and they’re also the highest users of e-bikes among developed countries.

Cycling infrastructue in Australia is a comparatively new concept

The countries where cycling isn’t a big part of the city transport mix tend to sell e-bikes through specialised electric bike shops that aren’t part of the traditional bicycle industry. They use the selling points above about the advantages of bicycle travel (powered or otherwise) over car travel as their main pitch, and in some cases the advantage of e-bike travel over non-powered bicycle travel such as not arriving to work sweaty etc.

You could go into the many reasons why the e-bikes aren’t selling through bike shops in these countries, but a big factor is that with so few city riders, there aren’t very many suitable bicycle shops to cater to electric bicycles, and it’s hard for a sports cycling shop to understand and effectively sell electric bicycles.

Australia is definitely in the second category, and while that means our immediate market is small compared to our population, it also makes it’s a really exciting place to sell an electric bicycle as so many customers are just over the moon – they’re rediscovering the bicycle in their adult life, they’re seeing their city for the first time even after living in it for decades, and they’re getting regular exercise again. We’re often told with all earnestness that the e-bike was the best thing they’d ever bought (and Australians buy a lot of stuff!). Interestingly enough, saving money on petrol and parking is quite far from their minds after the sale – they’re mainly happy with the freedom and fun that the bike has brought them, not the financial gains.

Luke@EBikeCentral: I would agree with everything Maurice has said. I haven’t yet had the chance to experience e-bike culture outside of Australia. One day!

Cycling in many European cities is integrated in society

Martin@MREBikes: Australia is a long way behind Europe, and to a lesser extent the US, in e-bike usage and culture. As Maurice has noted, therein lies the opportunity. There is substantial investment occurring in e-bike technology by the major brands. This can only be a good for product quality and innovation.

e-Bikes are still regarded as a niche product in Australia. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a recent article in Bike Europe states that 1 in 8 bikes sold in the Netherlands is an e-bike!

George@ReefBikes: Australia does have an increase bicycle culture, as councils have been extending bike paths and infrastructure for our population to get onto bikes more. Australia’s population however is very small compared to other countries, such as the USA, China, Germany, France, Italy, and other European countries, so the cycling culture is only small in comparison, and therefore the electric bicycle sub-culture is in turn even smaller. European countries have had bicycling as a tradition embedded in their culture for over a hundred years, where as most cities in Australia have not been built up with bicycles in mind, until recent efforts in changing that. So Australia is way behind in cycling culture in general. Electric bicycle usage follows as a percentage of regular bicycle usage.

The good parts of the electric bicycle market in the USA is that they are not limited as much as we are, the USA can use 350W motors on roads with hand twist throttles, really giving the rider a load of power and acceleration, which would be useful in commuting.

The bad parts in Europe, they are only allowed a 250W motor, and they are not allowed a hand twist throttle, which means riders have to pedal at all times. If they don’t pedal, they don’t move. This forces riders to keep pedaling as a regular bicycle, and does not let them use it as a motorised ride without pedaling.

BNA: What can be done immediately, and also in the next 5 years, to change the e-bike culture in Australia?

Maurice@GlowWorm: Safe cycling infrastructure is the key for me.

Martin@MREBike: Better infrastructure and more publicity.

The barriers to cycle drop with improved cycling infrastructure and transport routes

George@ReefBikes: There has been good progress from the major Australian cities in the past 3 years to introduce more cycling infrastructure, bike paths and public awareness in general. For e-bikes in particular, bicycle stores have to become more educated and trained in fixing and replacing the electrical parts. Particularly, they should be trained in troubleshooting and solving a problem, which is, most of the time, something very simple. Bicycle shops are the ones actually dealing with the public, so they are at the front of promoting e-bikes and awareness of e-bikes. I’d also love to see city councils install auto e-bike rental machine systems, as seen in Europe.

Paris public e-bike hire scheme

Luke@EBikeCentral: I think the e-bike industry is on the right track at the moment. The market is growing more than ever. More and more companies are investing in e-bike technology, for example: Sram, Bosch and so on. Dedicated e-bike stores are popping up around Australia. With all this hype and exposure, the e-bike culture in Australia is bound to take off. It’s now up to government and local councils to help change the infrastructure for bikes. Most e-bike customers I talk to are scared of riding on the roads for many reasons. Australia needs to encourage people to ride. What better way to do that than to build a series of safe bike lanes and bike paths. As long as they’re not tolled!

Paul@Gazelle: The best way to promote electric bikes will be the development of a professional network of e-bike dealers. This phenomenon is starting to take shape now and will continue to improve rapidly over the coming years. Within 5 years we foresee many more e-bike specific retailers, and traditional bike shops will be involved to a much bigger degree than they are today.

As has been discussed before in previous questions, any improvements in cycling infrastructure is directly tied in with e-bike sales. I often tell people that trying to sell a city e-bike in Australia is like trying to sell a car without a road. You only sell normal city cars when you have a road network that links your home, shops, work and leisure destinations.

]]>http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/05/expert-table-buying-e-bike-part-3/feed/7Expert Round Table – Buying an E-Bike Part 2http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/05/australian-expert-roundtable-buying-e-bike-part-2/
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/05/australian-expert-roundtable-buying-e-bike-part-2/#commentsThu, 23 May 2013 00:50:32 +0000http://www.bicycles.net.au/?p=8064In Part 1 of our Expert Round Table, our experts talked about what to look for when buying an e-bike. The expert opinion was to buy a dedicated e-bike, if possible, and always buy brand name products with good after sales service and availability of spare parts. But when you invest your money in a vehicle, and that’s really what an e-bike is, how do you go about getting that after sales service and support. We begin Part 2 of our round table by asking our experts about what happens once you’ve taken the plunge.

BNA: So the consensus seems to be to buy local and make sure you have good after sales service, but how realistic is the availability of that service?

Paul@Gazelle: Well depending on the brand, all the major cities are serviced by shops that sell e-bikes. There is still a long way to go before the e-bike is dealt with as a main stream product by the traditional bike shops.

An e-bike demands reliable after sales service

Maurice@GlowWorm: I’d say that it’s good to have after sales service nearby, if that’s an option. If it’s not an option, it’s still worth owning an e-bike, but it will be less convenient if something needs attention. I would still prefer to own a good e-bike in a town with no e-bike shops than a bad e-bike next door to an e-bike shop.

Having said that, if you’re conveniently located to an e-bike store with a particular brand then that should be a big part of the decision – if all other factors are equal, get the one that they have.

George@ReefBikes: After sales service is very important for an electric bicycle, as you don’t only have the regular bicycle parts to deal with, but double that, you also have the electrical parts to service.

BNA: Does this limit e-bike sales to a certain radius around the store you bought them from?

Paul@Gazelle: To a degree yes, although we have had customers who have bought our bikes who live far away and are willing to travel back in their car to get them serviced. It certainly would be ideal if the customer had a service dealer close to their home.

Maurice@GlowWorm: No, I don’t think so. I think you’re fortunate if you’re near a good e-bike store. If you’re not, too bad, but you can still buy and use an e-bike and if it’s a good one, you’re unlikely to regret it.

We have regional customers in areas where there aren’t even any bike shops. Cobar, Margaret River, Kununurra etc and they’ll all tell you the same thing – buy an e-bike it’s great.

E-Bike retailer Glow Worm Bicycles in Sydney attracts customers from near and far

BNA: Can you get good e-bike service from any bike shop, or from any e-bike shop, or do you have to “return home” to get you servicing done?

Martin@MREBikes: Most bike shops will be able to service the bicycle components on an e-bike, however there can be a reluctance to service the electrical components. Realistically, as with any product, if there is a problem the consumer will return the product to the point of purchase. Spare parts should be available locally from the brand distributor.

E-Bike electronics and motors require specialist knowledge and parts for servicing and repairs

George@ReefBikes: We have found that most regular bicycle stores around Australia do not have the technical ability or education to be able to fix every electrical problem. This has been the major limiting factor for the e-bike market to go mainstream through regular bike shops. Slowly, over the past couple of years, some stores have trained themselves in e-bike repairs, and some are more willing than others to learn. But realistically we need all regular bicycle shops to be educated and learn, as the market is growing rapidly. That’s why it is important that Reef Bikes has set up service centers in most major locations around Australia, so if there is a problem that occurs in another region of Australia, we have a store that will fix your problems locally. Reef Bikes has committed a lot of time into training regular bicycle stores, and is looking to setup training programs.

Paul@Gazelle: Any dealer that sells a Gazelle E-Bike has the capability to service a Gazelle E-Bike. We won’t sell the bikes to a bike shop unless they are willing to learn how to do the service.

Maurice@GlowWorm: No to both questions. You won’t get good e-bike service from every bike shop (you won’t even get good bike service from some), some are outright rude, some are just choosing not to skill up in e-bikes at this point in time. However, you don’t necessarily have to go back to the store you bought the e-bike from, you might find a good store closer to home that is happy to service your e-bike. If it’s a good e-bike and if the original supplier knows them inside and out and is willing to work with other stores for tech support and supply of parts then it can all go smoothly. That last point is crucial – in our e-bike store we won’t work on other brands of e-bikes unless the importer keeps stock of spare parts and can provide phone support for their product.

BNA: How does a customer know which brand/retailer is good?

George@ReefBikes: Customers should so some research on the brand and company they are looking at, see how long they have been around, have a look at the general quality of their marketing ads and websites, see if there are any product reviews on other websites.

Paul@Gazelle: I think a good start is to see how the brand is represented overseas. Is it a successful brand in other markets? Can you find much information about the brand online in other countries?

Gazelle are Hollands biggest bike brand and an early adopter of e-bike technology

Maurice@GlowWorm: I agree with Paul here – work out if they’re really selling a brand or not. If they are, there will be an international website with details of the distributors/retailers in other countries. See how they’re going, are they active in other markets? Have they been selling under the same name for some time?

BNA: Are there tell-tales signs of a good/bad e-bike brand & retailer?

Maurice@GlowWorm: It’s hard to know just by walking into a shop. Most new business owners will be energetic, enthusiastic and not intending to go broke. It’s also clear to me that not all customers can tell a good bike from a ‘questionable’ bike by looking at it and all suppliers will be able to rattle off points that the public thinks defines a good bike that virtually all bikes have (full alloy, designed for Australian conditions, latest technology, lithium batteries, Shimano gears…).

Probably a new challenge that will surface is bicycle shops having a go at electric bikes (which we encourage them to do) but perhaps deciding that it’s not working for them. Then you’ll have customers who are disappointed with after sales service. So even when buying from a bike shop, check that you’re buying a brand that’s bigger than just that shop.

Paul@Gazelle: As for the retailers, as a wholesaler I have a pretty good idea who is good or not by who is paying their bills on time! To the consumer I would say ask around in your local bike shops for advice… if they are not to ignorant of the e-bike market, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

George@ReefBikes: Look out for the components that make up the product. Make sure they only use high quality Shimano gears, bottom brackets, shifters or similar, make sure they state what brand battery is being used, is it a high quality brand like Panasonic or Samsung Batteries. By looking at the detailed component specifications, you can tell the quality of an electric bike.

BNA:So if I buy an e-bike, what will be the total cost of ownership over the next, say, 5 years? Let’s assume I ride it 5000km per year, using maximum power for 50% of the distance and carrying a total load of 100kg (rider + gear). Further, let’s say that half the riding is at night requiring lights. I’m not looking for any sort of exact number here, but given these conditions, how many services will I need? How many tyres and other consumables will I likely need? And, probably most importantly, how many batteries will I need to go through over the distance? Let’s just take it as written now that you don’t have to pay rego, fuel or parking etc., but in your calculations you should try to guesstimate how many charges are required and how much that would cost as well.

[Note: We set out experts this task and they went away and independently worked on the figures, which were surprisingly similar.]

Paul@Gazelle: Ok, well over 5 years & 5000kms , I would expect the bike to be serviced 5 – 10 times. Typical cost per service $99-$149. So lets say $1000 in service costs.

The big one would be battery cost. There’s a good chance you would have to replace the e-bike battery after 5 years. This cost would be around $700.

So adding these 3 up brings us to around $2500 over 5 years, or $500 a year.

The electricity component is negligible. The electricity cost at today’s rates to charge a Gazelle Innergy is around 6-7 cents. This gets you around 50kms. Therefore the electricity cost per 5000kms would be $7. Pretty amazing.

AJ of Gazelle Australia servicing an ebike

Luke@EBikeCentral: The initial cost of the bike will cost anywhere from $1000 to $3000 so lets say $2000.

If you ride 5000km in 5 years, the chances are you’ll need a new battery by the fifth year. So lets say another $700.

If you’re riding your bike every day I’d say you will need to spend at least $100 – $300 a year on parts, ie tyres, tubes, brake pads, cables etc. This all depend on how well you look after the bike.

If electricity costs 6c per kilowatt hour and a 14 ah battery uses 500 watt hours to fully charge then it will cost 3 cents per charge. This is a rough estimate based on several assumptions but gives you an idea of how it works. It’s barely worth counting this cost.

Keep in mind that costs will change rider to rider.

Electricity costs are marginal while servicing and up-keep add to the cost of e-bike ownership

George@ReefBikes: On average it will only cost about 7 cents to fully charge up your bicycle. During the 5 year period you will need to replace the battery probably once, costing about $550 on average. Servicing the bike about once per year will cost about $150 per service.

So the main cost is only the replacement battery. Charging is not much at all, and the servicing part is similar to a regular bicycle.

Maurice@GlowWorm: 5000km per year (100km per week) is a pretty common figure for our customers, it would probably sit at a little above average.

A rough estimate for initial purchase cost would be $3000 for say an eZee Torq with 36V 14Ah battery, 1000 lumen front light upgrade, plug in chain to go with the wheel lock, helmet and a bag to carry things in. First year of servicing is free and subsequently you’d probably want at least 1 service each 5000km ($100), disc brake pads every 5000km ($40 for two pairs) and new tyres (Schwalbe Marathon Plus, $160) every 10,000km. So in those 5 years or 25,000km then that’s an extra $1000 all up. Electricity will be very little, I’d say around $50-100 over that distance at today’s prices.

Our batteries have 2 year warranty. You’re a good chance of buying another at some point in 5 years and 25000km and the 36V 14Ah size costs $800.

Grand total of $4900 for 25000km = 20c/km.

However, if you’ve bought a new battery and new tyres and serviced your bike every 5000km, then it will still have good resale value after this time if you sell it and if you don’t, it will still have a lot of life left on it, so the c/km goes lower and lower the longer you keep your bike.

Another thing to keep in mind is you’ll probably discover other bike stuff that you want to buy for yourself. Everything from rain jackets, car racks, changing colour of pannier bag, etc.

Martin@MREBikes: I concur with the numbers quoted by my colleagues.

BNA: Having ridden a few different e-bikes, both kits and dedicated builds, I’ve noticed that when things are going well, they go very well, but when they’re not working, they really don’t work. It’s hard to change tyres due to the electronics and internal hubs, they’re hard to transport in a normal car and, as bikes, some of them are really not a lot of fun to ride without a motor. In some respects, they’re a lot like cars or motorbikes, but you can’t simply call the NRMA to come along and try to fix it for you. How does the non-technical e-bike owner manage when things go wrong, either at home or out on the road? What support is there when you’re 20km from home, you’re stranded and your bike won’t fit in the boot of your partner’s car?

George@ReefBikes: Just like any other market, if you buy a cheap non branded electric bike, you are looking for trouble and breakdowns. Reliability is very important, and only a good brand can give you that reliability. As mentioned before, Reef Bikes produce its e-bikes with only Panasonic and Samsung batteries and electronics, which are the most reliable. The battery and controller is the heart and life of an e-bike, so if these parts are reliable, then your bike won’t fail.

As you mention, some cheap electric bikes are chunky and heavy to ride, so when riding them without power, they are a little heavier in performance. That’s why Reef Bikes has designed our frames and batteries to be lightweight. We focus on making our products to perform just like a regular bicycle when the power is off. So if an e-bike is manufactured with each component to be the most efficient, electrical and mechanical, then you won’t feel this issue in performance. A lot of cheap e-bikes use really bad bottom brackets, cranks, hubs, gears and groupsets. So look out for the finer specifications, and watch out for the type of Shimano gears, bottom brackets and parts that are actually used. So if your battery runs flat, you can still ride home.

Martin@MREBikes: The Bionx conversion kit and Promovec e-bikes are electric assist, so the rider has the choice to ride with assist or not. With no assist you still have a normal bicycle.

With both products, changing a tyre is like a traditional bicycle plus 2 extra steps. Unplug a power lead before you remove the wheel from the frame and rejoin the connection when the wheel is back in the frame.

Both products also have a throttle only function which can be useful if you snap a pedal or break a chain.

Neat power cable in the BionX ebike system

Luke@EBikeCentral: I give my customers the option of signing up with RACV bike assist. They can help with basic mechanics, e.g. fixing a puncture, and if they can’t fix it, they’ll drop you home or to the store where it can be fixed.

I also offer in house servicing. This solves the transporting of the bike issue. I’ve ridden about 2500 km in the last 6 months on my e-bike and I’ve only been stuck once, and that was because of a flat tyre. If you buy a good quality e-bike you shouldn’t have too many problems with the electrics, just general bike issues. Most people can patch a tube.

Paul@Gazelle: Some of them are really not a lot of fun to ride without a motor. This is true and potential e-bike owners should test ride different brands and see what they are like to ride without the motor assistance. They will notice some big differences in performance.

How does the non-technical eBike owner manage when things go wrong? Compared to road racing bikes, the instances of flat tyres is less likely because the tyres on e-bikes are thicker and wider. If you do get a flat tyre, then I often tell our customers to attempt to patch the tube rather than attempt to take the wheel off. The majority of times a patch will get you home and beyond, and is much easier to do than trying to get wheels off, especially on a hub gear e-bike. There really is no reason to change a tube when you have a pin prick hole in your tube and you have a good patch kit at your disposal. This culture of tube changing has been handed down from the road and mountain bike world.

As for technical aspects of e-bikes, we always recommend you take your Gazelle e-bike back to an authorised Gazelle Innergy Service Centre.
What support is there when you’re 20km from home, you’re stranded? If it was me that was stranded in this situation, I would call a friend with a ute or call a Taxi van.

Maurice@GlowWorm: This is a fair question, though it’s not in reality much different to the lot of a non-powered cyclist. I’d agree with Paul’s comments more so than the responses that it will all be fine to just keep riding. Many of our customers are unable to use their e-bikes without the power assistance, especially as many have chosen e-bikes to allow them to go further. If you have to ride 30km to work over big hills and, 5km in, your battery fails or your tyre pops and in one hour you’re supposed to be teaching a class at a school, your options are not good. A taxi won’t get you there on time in Sydney whether or not it can fit your bike and your significant other might already be on the way to work in a train.

We encourage all cyclists to take the reliability and quality of their chosen bikes seriously, which means puncture proof tyres, spokes that won’t snap, brakes you can rely on, lights that work etc. Same goes with the e-bikes, adding good quality electronics to the wish list. A good bike lock and cash in your pocket also increases your options. Properly prepared with a good e-bike, you could still have a breakdown at a bad time, but trains and buses can be late, cars can breakdown and the NRMA won’t get you to work on time. It doesn’t have to be your car that breaks down to cause gridlock – just one on the harbour bridge and then tens of thousands of motorists are late to work. Overall, I’d say the e-bike is a much more reliable way to travel than car or public transport. I know this because I’m always waiting for people who are late for appointments due to traffic or parking problems.

To answer the question directly, if I were 20km from home and stranded (and my SO doesn’t have a car), I would take a train or hire a GoGet van or a Sydney Ute Hire from a servo or I’d call a station wagon taxi. If the stranding was avoidable (eg flat tyre), I’d upgrade my tyres later.

Glow Worm Bicycles staff are trained to service e-bikes though concentrate on well supported brands

BNA: I’m wearing my environment hat now; if we do have to replace our batteries, what happens to the old ones?

]]>http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/05/australian-expert-roundtable-buying-e-bike-part-2/feed/3Expert Round Table – Buying an E-Bike Part 1http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/05/australianexpert-round-table-buying-ebike-part-1/
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/05/australianexpert-round-table-buying-ebike-part-1/#commentsSun, 19 May 2013 22:04:05 +0000http://www.bicycles.net.au/?p=8060E-Bike: ‘e’ for electric and ‘e’ for enabling. E-Bike usage is on the rise around the world as battery technology, motor technology, and cycling infrastructure improves. The down side of this popularity is a certain level of understandable confusion on the part of the consumer. There are so many new bikes coming onto the market, with so many different technologies, that it’s hard to compare like to like and get the bike that suits your needs and your budget. So we set about solving this problem; we asked the experts.

We invited five e-bike retailers from around Australia and invited them to sit around the cyber-table and discuss a range of e-bike matters. You can read their biographies and get their contact details at the end of this article, but to begin the discussion, allow me to introduce our panel:

BNA: The e-bike market seems to be growing in Australia and there seems to be two options consumers can choose from: a dedicated e-bike, or an e-bike conversion. If you were going to give some advice to a new rider seeking an e-bike, which would you recommend and why? (And, why not the other?)

Paul@Gazelle: We only sell the dedicated e-bike, so our attention is purely focused on this. I feel that if you can afford it, the dedicated e-bike has advantages over e-bike kits. Often when someone is thinking about using an e-bike, it’s for the purpose of commuting and utility style trips. A ‘city e-bike’ or bike that is practical needs more than just an electric motor. Does your bike have light systems when you ride in the dark? Does it have chain guards so you can wear pants and dresses without the worry of getting clothes dirty of worse get caught up in the chain and falling? Can you carry panniers easily? Is the sit position comfortable and relaxed? The dedicated e-bike has the advantage of being built from the ground up as an e-bike so the finished product looks, integrates & feels better. This is certainly the case with Gazelle e-bikes.

Gazelle bicycles are completely integrated and ready to go

E-Bike kits have the advantage that you can modify your existing bike to an e-bike and the cost is less. Putting an electric kit on your existing bike may work for some but not for others. We find that people who are interested in Gazelle bikes would not be satisfied with the result of converting their recreation/mountain style bike into an e-bike. But for others it’s a good solution. Some bikes are not suitable for e-bike kits as there can be compatibility and safety issues if your frame, forks and wheels are not up the job.

George@ReefBikes: The e-bike market has gained momentum over the past couple of years, and technology has vastly improved. From Reef Bikes point of view, we would recommend getting a ready made electric bike, and not a conversion kit. As our e bike models are set up perfectly, with hidden batteries inside the frame, hidden wires and components, making our ready made models look like regular bicycles, with high performance without having to do any work yourself. A kit can be messy, and not fit onto your regular bicycle as well. Custom kits are only really recommended for enthusiasts that really know what they want.

Martin@MREBikes: Our advice to the customer would be to experience (ride) as many products as possible and choose a brand, conversion kit or e-bike that best suits their needs, is good quality and well supported locally.

Luke@EBikeCentral: From a retail point of view I will always try and sell the customer a dedicated e-bike. The majority of customers are looking for a commuting bike with all the practical components, i.e. lights, rack, chain guard, lock. Most dedicated e-bikes will come standard with these features. It’s simply easier for the customer and for the seller to deal with these ‘ready to go’ e-bikes. However, e-bike conversions also have some great benefits. Firstly, it’s a lot cheaper to convert an existing bike than to buy a complete E-bike. Secondly, this gives the customer the option of choosing a bike that specifically suits their needs. Thirdly, I find people are a lot more likely to invest in the idea of an electric bike if the price is affordable. Seeing as though the e-bike is a reasonably unknown product, customers don’t want to invest $2000 into something they don’t know much about. The conversion kit provides an entry level e-bike option that the average Joe can afford.

Luke Ebert of E-Bike Central in Melbourne

Maurice@GlowWorm: We were asked about this topic so often that we wrote an article about it on our website about it.

Overall we strongly favour the electric bicycle over the conversion kit as it is almost always better value, a better and safer product and more likely to suit the purpose of day to day transport. I don’t subscribe to the belief that the conversion kit is a more affordable option either. Over 5 years of use you’ll spend less on a nice quality electric bicycle than a bike with a cheap kit. And don’t forget to take into account that you could have kept your bike for other uses or sold it. We actually only recommend a kit for the other end of the spectrum – someone who wants to convert an expensive bike and doesn’t mind that the end product will be more expensive than a similar complete electric bike.

Maurice Wells of Glow Worm Bicycles in Sydney

For a consumer I’d be looking for at a complete electric bicycle that has everything you want on it. For most people that’s well integrated lights, lock, mudguards, rear rack, battery and kickstand so that it’s ready for daily use.

For a retailer I’d recommend against stocking kits as I just can’t see it as a long term strategy – selling converted bicycles where the fork has not been tested for use with a motor, where the usual frame and fork warranties will be void etc. Also with new regulations coming into play in Australia, it’s not as simple as popping on a motor and a battery, the bike needs a speed limiter, pedal assist etc and not all kits offer this and those that do are not always easy to fit onto any given bike.

A few years ago a conversion kit was a necessary compromise as a way of limiting the amount of junk you were buying – a low quality kit on a high quality bike is much better than a low quality e-bike. Now that there’s a range of high quality electric bicycles on the market in Australia, I see kits as becoming less useful – something for enthusiasts to use their time and money on or to convert bikes that are hard to find in electric format (BMX, recumbents, trikes etc).

BNA: When buying any bike, it’s important to buy one that’s a good fit and that’s fit for the purpose. Aside from the standard “rules” for buying a bike, what do I need to be looking for in an e-bike? What’s the most important ingredient in the e-bike recipe?

Paul@Gazelle: I think buying from a reputable brand is a very good start. There have been many e-bike brands come and go over the last few years and most, if not all of them, have been Chinese import brands. Buying an e-bike is the easy step however the next question should be, ‘”What is the back up like from the manufacturer with parts”.

We are fortunate that with a brand like Gazelle all the parts are available many years down the track. Being Holland’s biggest bike company means back up is of critical importance to their continued success.

George@ReefBikes: It is important to only deal and purchase from a quality brand, there are alot of cheap fly by night Chinese models coming into the market, that disappear just as fast. Reef Bikes recommend looking for e bikes that only use quality Panasonic or Samsung lithium battery cells. As the battery is the most important and expensive part of any e-bike, it’s extremely important that your battery and electrics are the best quality and a known brand. Also, don’t be fooled by cheap Chinese e-bikes that advertise a 15-20AH battery for long distances, as our Panasonic 10AH battery will perform even better, last even longer, not fail, and only be half the size and weight.

German brand Stevens has used a number of technologies including BionX

For commuter e-bike, batteries are often integrated in a rear pannier rack

Luke@EBikeCentral: I think the most important ingredient is choosing a brand that will support their product for years to come. I also think it’s important to buy an e-bike from a store who can support the product with parts and servicing (as apposed to Ebay!) And always, try before you buy.

Maurice@GlowWorm: It goes without saying that a high quality product with good backup service will be better than a cheap, low quality e-bike. After deciding you need to get a good e-bike, you still need to decide which one to get.

I think the first thing is to figure out how you want to use your bike and therefore what the priorities are. Every e-bike will have strong points and weak points and not all are related to cost, so if you know what’s important to you and communicate this to a knowledgeable e-bike seller then you’ll have the best chance of getting a bike that works for you. Some bikes are better able to go longer distances by more easily accommodating an extra battery, which is important if you want to commute a long way. Other bikes are lighter or can fold up, which doesn’t help if you want to go a long way, but can be helpful if you need to take your bike on the train daily. Some have space for child seats and panniers, others don’t. The total weight of the bike or the aerodynamics of the riding position are unlikely to be very important when you have a motor to help you along – a touring, hybrid, racing or city style e-bike are all able to go quickly and easily, so use this to your advantage and pick the one that is most comfortable and convenient for you.

Finally, just go and test ride a lot of them! They don’t all feel the same and performance differs, so it’s not a decision to make based on reading specifications. And if you can’t even test ride it, you might have difficulty getting it serviced later!

Martin@MREBikes: Perhaps the most important ingredient for the e-bike customer is “Will the product perform to my expectations over the period of time that I expect?” Unfortunately the e-bike recipe in Australia has been badly tainted by poor quality product. As an importer / distributor / retailer, it is our function to change this perception with brands that are global leaders in product quality and technology.

BionX is used both by brands for complete bikes as well as a seperate e-bike conversion kit

In Part 2 of this article, our experts talk about servicing and supporting e-bikes and talk about the total cost of e-bike ownership.

Panelist Biographies

Paul van Bellen – Gazelle Bicycles AustraliaI live in Sydney, though was born in The Netherlands, the World’s #1 cycling country. Our business, Gazelle Bicycles Australia, distributes the best bike and accessory brands from The Netherlands. Our interest in e-bikes started around 5 years ago when we visited The Netherlands and saw how the market for this segment was gaining momentum. We believe the e-bike will be a fantastic solution for people in Australian cities who have to deal with hills, heat and less than ideal cycling infrastructure. The beauty of the e-bike is that it makes cycling fun and easy, and if you can get someone to make the step from taking their car to do local trips to the e-bike, then we all benefit from that with less congestion, better health, cleaner air and less noise pollution.

Maurice Wells – Glow Worm BicyclesI created Glow Worm Bicycles in 2009, motivated by a desire to take electric bicycles into the mainstream. I see bicycles as a unique invention with the ability to transform an individual’s life for the better as well as transform an entire city for the better. For me, electric bicycles are a great way to bring cycling into more people’s lives.

Martin Turner – MR EbikesMR Ebikes Pty Ltd was started by my business partner, Rob Brennan and I in 2011 to act as the importer and distributor for Bionx and Promovec. Both Rob and I recognised the potential for e-bikes in Australia given the tremendous growth that has occurred in this sector over the last few years. Our focus is to supply quality products to the Australian market and we believe that the Bionx and Promovec brands offer such quality.

Martin Turner in Syndey with a BionX converted Kona is Mr Ebikes

Bionx is a Canadian company that supplies an Electric Assist Conversion Kit that can be fitted to a traditional bicycle. The Bionx product also powers the electric assist bicycles of OEM’s such as Trek, KTM, Wheeler, Stevens, Smart, Focus and many more.

Promovec is a Danish brand of electric assist bicycle. They are one of the leading brands in Scandinavia and have been supplying e-bikes since 2003. Our business plan is to build and support a dealer network for the Bionx and Promovec brands.

Luke Ebert – E-Bike CentralI’ve been a keen rider since I was a young lad and I manage E-Bike Central in Richmond. I began working with e-bikes when I was 18 for Electric Vehicles Pty Ltd. Whilst at EVS I did a bit of everything including setting up the Australia Post electric fleet bikes. After moving into the city I realised that E-bikes are simply the most efficient form of inner city transport. I wanted to get people out of the drivers seat and onto the bike seat and fitness was no longer an excuse not to ride. Roughly 6 months ago I set up the retail store in Richmond.

George Kazacos – Reef Bikes
Reef Bikes develops the latest innovative technology in electric bikes, working with Panasonic and Samsung to design and manufacture reliable batteries and electronics, and Shimano to provide top performance in gears, groupsets and hardware.

The team here at Reef Bikes is always on the go with research and development of our products. Producing our own Reef technology with our battery hidden inside frame design.

We produce a huge range of different e-bikes to suit every Australians needs, from the high powered Predator and Bullshark e-bikes, to the classic European commuting bikes, electric tricycles and folding e-bikes.

Reef Bikes enjoys getting Australians back into cycling, back on the roads, and giving people the chance to cycle, commute, exercise at their own pace. We are here to promote an alternative eco-friendly mode of transport, relieving inner city traffic congestion, zero emission electric motor technology, and to keep Australians fit while enjoying the outdoors, while being able to pedal or motor at their own pace.
Read: E-Bike Round Table – E-Bike Buyers Guide Part 2
Read: E-Bike Round Table – E-Bike Buyers Guide Part 3

]]>http://www.bicycles.net.au/2013/05/australianexpert-round-table-buying-ebike-part-1/feed/4Gazelle Orange Plus Innergy XT eBike Commuter Reviewhttp://www.bicycles.net.au/2012/12/gazelle-orange-innergy-xt-ebike-commuter-review/
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2012/12/gazelle-orange-innergy-xt-ebike-commuter-review/#commentsThu, 27 Dec 2012 03:45:12 +0000http://www.bicycles.net.au/?p=7458This article is not about a bike, this article is about a vehicle. Yes, this vehicle has two wheels and you pedal it, but it has more in common with a car than it does with the types of bikes we’re used to in Australia. The Gazelle Orange Plus Innergy XT is what happens when you take bikes seriously as a transport option rather than as something for sports or recreation.

Before I begin the review, let me set some context for this bike. Start by imagining the most basic idea of a bike, now put that basic bike in an environment where bikes are considered an essential part of the transport infrastructure, where there are more bikes than cars and where bikes are considered just a faster way of getting around than walking. Further, imagine that the bike’s “natural” predators have be tamed by legislation and common sense. What do you get? You get the Orange Plus Innergy XT – it’s a bike that has evolved, and it’s evolved in one of the most bike friendly countries in the world, the Netherlands. A review such as this would be considered crazy over there, why would someone get so excited about a bike? But here in Australia, this bike is a breath of fresh air and it’s definitely exciting enough to review in depth.

The first thing you will notice about the bike is its style. From front to back it’s a well integrated and thoughtfully designed machine. A quick visual tour around the bike will reveal the name Gazelle stamped on almost everything. This is not a hodge-podge of components thrown on a generic frame with a sticker on it, this is a bike where every part of it has been designed to mesh with every other part. Not only is it a synthesised bike, it’s a synthesised electric bike; the front wheel hub motor, battery and controller are as well integrated as all of the other components; the bike was built to be an electric bike.

After you’ve noticed the whole package, your eyes drill down to the details. Swept back handlebars, big comfortable seat, flat pedals, rear rack, built in lock, full chain guard, integrated lighting, mud guards – it even has a skirt guard! Basically, this is a bike designed to be ridden, and ridden without thinking too much about it. You jump on it wearing whatever you have on and you ride it.

All of the styling and careful design of a bike amounts to nothing if the bike doesn’t ride well. I rode this bike to and from work every day and I rode it on the weekends. Each time I rode it I was wearing whatever I had on, usually jeans, a shirt and sneakers. Essentially I used it the way it was meant to be used, and I did this for over a month, riding with the motor off about half of the time, to get the fullest picture of the way the Innergy performs.

When I set off from my house to work, the road is downhill and it’s very easy to pick up speed on any bike. Without turning the pedals over, I will hit 40 kph before I have to make a left into a slight uphill before heading downhill again to reach speeds around 50kph. After that there’s a sharp stop, several traffic lights, a main road and rolling hills. I present all of this detail to demonstrate the types of terrain I tested this bike on, that is, pretty much all of the common terrains in Australia’s major cities. Weekend rides were around Sydney Olympic Park, which is about as flat an area as you get in Sydney.

It took me about a week of riding to get used to this bike, not because it’s a bad bike to ride, rather because it is so very different to ride compared to a drop bar or a flat bar bike. Once my brain adapted to the differences, I was moving the bike around with as much verve as my regular rides.

The most startling thing about the way this bike rides is how well it handles. I was riding the large version of the bike, which puts me a fair way above the ground. Despite this, the weight of the hubs, the long wheel base and the big tyres meant that this bike handled better than my regular commuter. The centre of gravity of this bike is very low and this means you can take corners at speeds you wouldn’t think about taking them on a racing bike, especially when you’re sitting almost upright. The bike sticks to the ground and responds smoothly. The Innergy is also stable and manoeuvrable at low speeds, so it’s perfect for riding along crowded shared paths. The only time it wasn’t stable was when it was stationary, or very near to it; I couldn’t track stand this bike at all, despite trying the whole time I had it (but that’s just me playing silly buggers).

The suspension seat post and front fork suspension absorb all of the minor bumps in the road and even out parking lot speed humps. The hand grips are comfortable and support the heel of your hand to keep that comfort long term. The internal gears in the Shimano Nexus 7 speed rear hub are changed via the right grip with a twist shift; you can see which gear you’re in through a small window in the shifter. The left grip has a similar form factor to the right, but instead of changing the gear, a twist of the left grip rings the bell. Of all of the cool integrated features of this bike, this one made me smile the most. The roller brake in the back and the v-brake in the front give confident and well modulated stopping power.

Engaging the motor on the bike requires a simple button press on the control panel, accessed with your left thumb. The electrical system goes through a number of quick self-checks before the motor smoothly and definitely kicks in. As per Australian law, this bike is a pedal assist set up, so the motor will only work while you’re pedalling the bike. The Innergy has both torque and cadence sensors, so you don’t need to pedal too hard or fast to get the motor to help you along. The pedal assist cuts out after you’re travelling about 25 kph, so it gets you going, but it’s not a motorbike.

The motor works in three modes: eco, normal and boost. I tended to use only normal and boost; normal for flat riding and boost for the hills. If my journey to work is mostly downhill, it stands to reason that the journey home is uphill, and I found myself using boost quite a lot coming home. According to the specs, the battery will give you about 30 kms worth of constant use in normal mode, but I found I got about 50 km worth of use out of the battery using a mixture of normal and boost. This was because of the 25 kph cut-out; I used the motor to get me started on the flats and then kept the speed in the low 30s where the motor doesn’t operate. The battery recharges in about 3 hours and it doesn’t have memory effects, so I could just plug it in at the end of each journey and have it ready for the next.

One of the counter intuitive things about the Innergy is that you don’t really notice your speed. I spend a lot of time on the bike and I’m pretty attuned to how fast I’m travelling when my legs are turning at a particular rate and I’m in a particular gear. On the Innergy, with the motor on, I’d be turning my legs over at a rate that would have me riding at about 10-15 kph, but a glance at the speed on the control panel would show I was travelling closer to 30!

The motor, in boost mode, really makes a difference on the hills. When I found myself struggling up a slope, a quick press of the button on the control panel and the boost mode kicks in with more power. Having that extra power really flattens the ground out and gave me a good 5 kph over the speeds I take these hills at on my normal commuting bike, and the best bit is that I didn’t have to kill myself to do it – I just pedalled the best I could and the motor did the rest.

The best evidence I can give for the quality of the motor is running it along the street I live in; it’s over a kilometre long, has an average gradient of 12% with a “wonderful” 21% section. Running the motor in boost mode got me home easily up sections around 10 and 12%, but continuing up the street to the 21% section…well, it was slow, but I was able to do it without killing myself, as I normally have to do on my other bikes. Yes, it did require significant effort from both me and the motor, but not nearly as much as it should have. It took me around 6 months to get enough fitness to do that climb on my regular bike, a moderately fit person riding the Innergy could do it first go.

About the only thing I have against the pedal assist system is that the mode switch for the motor is located just below the on off switch for the system, and you only need to touch it to turn it off. There were several times where I felt the wonderful helping hand disappear exactly when I needed it most, much like the hot water all of a sudden being turned off during a shower. If only they made you hold the power button down for a few seconds to turn it off, this would all be avoided -take note Gazelle designers.

Without the motor operating, the Innergy rides very comfortably on the flats, a lot better than I expected. The gear range has enough to get you to some good speeds, but the relaxed nature of bike means you’re not going to be standing and sprinting to get there. Cruising along in the mid 20s is an easily achievable scenario without needing to put too much effort into it or use the motor.

Where I found myself really struggling without the motor was when it came to the hills. Even on the lowest gear it’s hard work. If I were buying this bike to ride in my area, I would be getting a bigger cog on the rear hub, something which is trivial to change but which would make a good bit of difference. Of course, that would knock some off your higher end, but it’s not often you’ll be riding in the highest gear, so a bigger rear cog would give you a much more usable range in Sydney.

A lot of thinking has gone into this bike so that the rider doesn’t have to think about it. Ride with whatever shoes you’ve got on? Check, you can even ride barefoot (don’t ask, it’s a long story). Ride without changing clothes? Check, you don’t even need to roll your pant legs up. Bike lock? Built in. Pump? There’s one that fits into the standard rear rack.

And now we come to the point where I have a bit of a problem with the Innergy; it’s only a minor one that requires some thinking around, but it is a concern. Because of the electric motor and the internal rear hub, taking the wheels off the bike to fix a flat is not something that can be done quickly or easily. What this means is that you will either have to learn how to repair a flat without removing the wheels, learn how to remove and reattach the wheels (it takes a little learning) or you will have to work out some way to transport the bike home. Fortunately, Gazelle have thought about this: firstly, the tyres used, Schwalbe Marathons, are the most puncture resistant tyres available; secondly, in the unlikely event you do need to transport the bike, there is a towbar mounted carrier available that will hold the Innergy for a car ride.

There are simply too many features on this bike to cover in an article like this. You can read more about the Orange Plus Innergy XT on the Gazelle website. What’s not mentioned on the web site, but is worth mentioning, is the dealer servicing of the bike and, importantly, the motor. When you take the bike back to the dealer, they can plug the pedal assist system into their computer and get a complete history of how the motor has been used, how the battery has been performing and can diagnose any problems the system has been having. They can work out how the bike is being used and adjust the power profile to better match the terrain you’re covering. This is exactly what they do when I take my car in for a service and it shows just how far from a “normal” bike the Innergy is.

If you’re ready to take bicycle transport seriously, and if you demand utility, efficiency and style, the Orange Plus Innergy XT is highly recommended. It’s not a cheaply hacked together bike shaped object, it’s a well constructed and thought out vehicle; the Orange Plus Innergy XT is a genuine car replacement option. It’s available in a variety of sizes and in men’s and women’s models. At $3000, it’s well priced to recoup its purchase price in insurance, registration, parking and fuel costs within months.

There are Gazelle Innergy dealers across Australia, specialised bicycle shops who sell and service these eBikes. Gazelle bicycles are imported into Australia by Gazelle Australia.

Title photo by Stuart Low.

]]>http://www.bicycles.net.au/2012/12/gazelle-orange-innergy-xt-ebike-commuter-review/feed/20Australian Government Clarifies Ebike Import Lawshttp://www.bicycles.net.au/2012/05/australian-government-clarifies-ebike-import-laws/
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2012/05/australian-government-clarifies-ebike-import-laws/#commentsThu, 31 May 2012 04:16:33 +0000http://www.bicycles.net.au/?p=5676The Hon Catherine King MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport, has announced an amendment to the definition of a power-assisted pedal cycle. Power-assisted bicycles with electric motors up to 250watts and a maximum speed of 25km/h that are compliant with European Standard (EN 15194) can now be imported into Australia.

Bicycle Industries Australia which represents many of the Australian importers welcomed this announcement that will provide consumers with a new generation of well priced and high quality power-assisted bicycles. The changes are expected to provide the opportunity for a people who have previously been unable or unwilling to ride a bicycle to get on and enjoy the benefits. Peter Bourke, General Manager of Bicycle Industries Australia said, the new range will be attractive to those who would like some level of assistance, whether that’s because of age, injury, fitness or those who just don’t want to get too hot on their ride to work. ‘When people are looking to save money, get out of the traffic and improve their health, these bikes will provide a very real alternative to driving a car.’

‘The expected increase in people riding will provide many community benefits, through individual health gains, independent mobility, cost savings from reduced transport costs, as well as savings on congestion and less impact on the environment,’ said Bourke

Main points of the new standard:
• Complements the existing standards
• Covers the needs of most users with a range starting at 40km for most batteries
• Power increase to 250W continuous rated power
• ‘Twist and go’ to 6kph allows easy take off from standing start

The bicycle industry is now looking to the states and territories to amend their laws and regulations to allow them to be used on Australian roads.

]]>http://www.bicycles.net.au/2012/05/australian-government-clarifies-ebike-import-laws/feed/0Review: Gazelle Innergy electric assist bicyclehttp://www.bicycles.net.au/2010/06/review-gazelle-innergy-electric-assist-bicycle/
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2010/06/review-gazelle-innergy-electric-assist-bicycle/#commentsWed, 02 Jun 2010 20:38:24 +0000http://www.bicycles.net.au/2010/06/review-gazelle-innergy-electric-assist-bicycle/The concept of the electric assist bike is somewhat new and unfamiliar to Australia, however sales in Europe and Asia have boomed over the past few years; one in eight bicycles sold in Holland are e-bikes. The success of the e-bike is due to its appeal to an untapped market segment, people who may not have the ability, fitness and/or confidence to cycle a conventional bike; This brings cycling to a larger audience which can only be a good thing.

What makes an e-bike different to a normal bike to ride? It’s no different, you jump on it, push the pedals and it goes just like a normal bike, except it helps you along.

First impressions
I was initially told that I was going to be given a commuting bike to review with a bit of a twist. Prior to this I had ridden almost every kind of bike, but never an e-bike. I gave myself the task of using the Gazelle Innergy for riding to work every day and running errands for a week, using it like a normal bike. On first sight it looked exactly like a normal bicycle, albeit a very Dutch looking one. The only subtle clue that gives away the fact that it is an e-bike is the battery pack which tucks away very discretely under the rear rack. The electric motor is located in the front hub (i.e. front wheel drive) and combined with a Shimano roller brake, the remainder of the drivetrain uses standard Shimano Nexus parts.

My first ride was around the backstreets near my house, the electric assist only engages when it detects that you are pedalling. When you are pedalling along it the electric assist makes pedaling feel effortless, you feel like you are gliding along only just barely pushing the pedals. The electric assist is so progressive that you don’t even notice it, from stationary to coasting along it is just perfectly smooth. You can only just feel the motor sometimes, around corners at slow speed you can feel a miniscule amount of torque steer and occasionally you can feel it if you are stopping and starting constantly. The assistance still makes you do some work though, I found myself with a very slight sweat at the end of my journey.

There are two modes of assist which you can choose in the built in display/controller, boost & eco mode. Boost will give you approximately 20-40km on a full charge, eco will give you a 40-70km, however this will vary depending on how much you pedal, how many hills and other environmental factors. The battery takes about 3 hours to charge completely, but because it is a Lithium-Ion battery you can charge it whenever you like and not have to worry about memory effect. The plug is located at the rear corner of the battery which is underneath the rear rack. It can also be detached by unlocking it with the same key as the wheel lock, this allows you to bring it in to charge it indoors. The rear light is integrated into the battery and also acts as a battery charge indicator.

The bicycle is built in the Netherlands and is built to European standards for e-bikes. This means that from up to 22km/h you get full assistance, from there it decreases till there is no assistance above 25km/h. However there is a 10% +/- tolerance so in reality you can start to feel the assistance decrease from about 27km/h. It starts to get a bit difficult to pedal faster than 30km/h on flat ground, however it is very easy to maintain 25km/h which would be more than satisfactory for most people this bike is intended for. The drivetrain is the ubiquitous Shimano Nexus system, it features an 8 speed rear hub and crankset which is connected to a twist shifter. The overall gear range is quite wide and I never found that I ran out of gears. A nice touch is that the chain is completely enclosed in a chaincase, no more greasy chain marks on your trousers and this cuts down on maintenance and increases the life of the chain several times over compared to a conventional derailleur geared bike with an exposed drivetrain.

What is it like to live with?
The difference between this bike and your average bike store bikes is that the Innergy is a complete system, it features integrated front and rear lights, rear rack & pannier – everything is integrated and has been thought through so you can ride it straight off the showroom floor. I was impressed by the LED lights and the reflectors as they are completely integrated into the fork and the rear rack which mitigates the chance of theft. The front uses a LED with an internal reflector which spreads out a wide beam and a reasonably bright spot ahead – this is plenty of light for city commuting. The rear light is superbly bright, both lights have very good side on vision and the bike can be seen at night from almost any angle. I own several bikes and share lights between them so I really appreciate the fact that you can just jump on the bike and go without having to bother with charging lights and swapping them around.

The rear rack houses the lithium-ion battery

The handling of the bike is not all that different to other bikes of this style, let me make this clear – this is not a race bike, it is however a serious transport bike. The first thing I noticed was the weight, at 26.8kg (about average for an e-bike) this makes the bike somewhat cumbersome to move around the house, it’s harder to pick up the thing and manhandle it. The low speed handling also feels slightly unwieldly as well, however once moving at pace the ride is very predictable and safe, the wide tyres and forks make for a very smooth ride.

This was the first time I had tried Shimano’s roller brakes, I was quite impressed; even though the lever felt quite spongy yet it was very easy to modulate. In an emergency stop squeezing hard on the brake lever brings the bike to a predictable and sudden halt. Unlike rim brake bikes, the roller brake will work just as well in the wet and won’t cover the frame in brake dust nor will it need brake pads replaced periodically – again this is part of the overall integration of the bike, low maintenance and reliability. The wheels themselves are solidly built and are shod with equally solid Schwalbe Marathon tyres – these are the benchmark of dependable flat-resistant tyres. The tyres are the reflective version so at night, a car driver will see two large white halos when the tyres catch the headlight. Personally I think all tyres should be offered in reflective versions as they really give other road users a much better idea of the size of the bike at night.

The front electric motor hub with integrated Shimano roller brake

The review bike came with a Basil (a fellow Dutch brand) pannier which clips right onto the rear rack, this pannier was about the right size for picking up some groceries on the way home. There was also a compact bar bag which clipped onto a fitting on the stem and can be used to store your wallet and phone while you are riding. The stem itself uses a novel tool free adjustment system, you lift up a safety catch and then a latch which allows you to adjust the tilt and handlebar height. Strangely the seatpost however requires an allen key wrench to adjust it which could become a hassle if you are regularly sharing the bike with a shorter or taller person. The rear rack integrates a mini pump as well as a skirt guard and also features a traditional wheel lock which is secured by a key. The wheel lock also features an attachment point for an accessory chain, you loop the chain around a pole and plug it into the attachment point then you lock the wheel lock, remove the key and go. This is quite nifty as it makes securely locking the bike a doddle.

The Gazelle Innergy Electric Assist Bicycle

Verdict
As a bike that is used for transport the Gazelle Innergy succeeds, the design has been thoroughly thought out and integrated into one cohesive package. The electric assist is very smooth and barely noticeable, the integration of the whole bike is what makes it great. It is very easy to just jump on it and ride, other than charging it regularly it will require little maintenance due to it’s enclosed chain, roller brakes and flat proof tyres. At a RRP of $3950 the Innergy is not cheap, however it is evident that you get what you pay for – a refined and solidly built machine which is designed as a whole not as a kit of parts.

]]>http://www.bicycles.net.au/2010/06/review-gazelle-innergy-electric-assist-bicycle/feed/0Eurobike: E-bikes are boosting growth in the bicycle industryhttp://www.bicycles.net.au/2009/09/eurobike-e-bikes-are-boosting-growth-in-the-bicycle-industry/
http://www.bicycles.net.au/2009/09/eurobike-e-bikes-are-boosting-growth-in-the-bicycle-industry/#commentsWed, 02 Sep 2009 22:32:48 +0000http://www.bicycles.net.au/2009/09/eurobike-e-bikes-are-boosting-growth-in-the-bicycle-industry/“My house, my boat? my bicycle.” The new status symbol for environmentally-friendly, healthy and intelligent mobility is making headlines across Germany: “What an incredible tailwind? thanks to e-bikes.” “The new bikes make riding a breeze: Mountains are suddenly less daunting and the daily ride to the office becomes a fast and sweat-free zoom.”

Today’s heightened awareness of environmental issues is boosting the bicycle business, especially at retail shops. Not surprisingly, an increasing number of people are opting for bicycles as a way to commute to work – and as an enjoyable recreational activity.

Representatives of the association and bicycle companies presented the latest figures from the industry. According to the association, the sector achieved sales of ?1.7 billion with bicycles and an additional ?1.45 billion from repairs, accessories, replacement parts and components, making for a market with a total volume of over ?3 billion.

Trekking bikes are leading the pack with 33 percent of sales, followed by city bikes and mountain bikes. E-bikes are rapidly gaining ground, with strong growth rates in many European countries. Approximately 100,000 e-bikes were sold in 2008. The current trend is also fortunately toward more business for bicycle shops. An increasing number of bicycles are purchased from the specialists, who sell 63 percent of all new bikes. Based on the absolute value, the market share of retail shops is even greater than this percentage.